Politicians explore work permits and health charges to curb population

Friday 25 October 2019

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A political group tasked with developing a policy to curb the island’s rising population has released the fruits of seven months of research in the form of four “hypothetical” work permit systems.

Charges for hospital and primary health services and criminal checks are among the key aspects of the permit system ideas the Migration Policy Development Board (MPDB) said they were examining in their interim report, which was released yesterday.

Chaired by St. John Constable Chris Taylor, the board was formed in March 2019 by the Chief Minister as an advisory panel to help shape future policies relating to who can come to live, work and access public services in the island.

For the past seven months, they have been researching migration controls and how potential changes could be made to reduce the island’s reliance on inward migration. They looked at the current housing regulations, as well as international migration and immigration models.

Pictured: MPDB Chair Constable Chris Taylor said it was important to get the "emotive" and "complex" issue of migration policy right.

The Board summed up their research in a 257-page document, which largely consisted of Powerpoint presentations from Statistics Jersey and government 'discussion papers'.

The 'Skills Paper' concluded that migrants add economic value to Jersey's community - particularly in filling skill gaps and labour shortages in the island - and efforts should be made to maintain the attractiveness of Jersey as a place to work.

However, it noted that "a balance must be struck" and that "a system of having varying 'permissions'" - some based on skill level - would allow Jersey to maintain a level of "control" on inward migration.

"where skills gaps and labour shortages cannot be avoided, plans can be made to attract migrants with the required skills to fill those spaces"

Pictured: The MPDB has put forward a series of "hypothetical work permissions".

Published yesterday, the document also includes a series of “hypothetical system of work permissions”.

While these might appear to the closest thing to a policy the ‘Migration Policy Development Board’ has provided, the report states clearly that they are only “examples of the type of changes that could be made” and not “firm proposals".

“Please note that these are purely hypothetical work permissions. They are not policy proposals and all contain weaknesses,” the Board added.

“They are not proposed as a future migration control system but are designed as a starting point to stimulate conversation, challenge the thinking of the Board, gauge the potential impact upon different sectors and businesses, on communities and on migrants themselves, and so to judge the potential effectiveness of different levers.” 

Three of the scenarios relate to permission granted according to skills shortage, ranging from 'low-skilled' temporary labour, to 'medium' and finally 'critical' skills. Each permission would give workers different benefits in relation to accommodation, family mobility and health care.

They would also all require a criminal records check, digital ID, and be limited in time. 

Pictured: All permissions would be limited in time.

The less skilled workers would only be allowed to stay a maximum of nine months out of 12 and would have to wait three months after the end of their stay to apply for a new permission.

The other two categories would be able to stay in the island for up to four years, after which they would be able to apply for permanent residence.

The fourth category suggested by the MPDB - The ‘Z’ permission - would, however, only be granted to “migrants, who have demonstrated significant commitment to the island through employment record and/or social/cultural contribution".

All workers, as well as their partners and children if they are allowed to move to the island, would have to pay a health surcharge to have access to all hospital and primary health services.

The publication of the MPDB interim report comes just as the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel - a panel of politicians outside the Council of Ministers - is due to release its own findings on ‘Population and Migration'.

Pictured: A Scrutiny report on the government's approach to delivering population policy by a panel chaired by Senator Kristina Moore, is due to be published soon.

Although Scrutiny panels are usually responsible for probing and making recommendations on plans put forward by the government, the panel - Chaired by Kristina Moore - took the unusual step of doing research work itself, including holding hearings with industry lobby groups, and coming up with its own proposals on what needs to be done.

The MPDB says it is still gathering “evidence from the island’s business sector as well as wider stakeholders in the community as part of the ongoing work".

“This report is an important piece of work containing research and evidence to help inform the debate on how to develop meaningful and sustainable migration controls in the future,” Constable Taylor said.

“The Board is working hard together with representatives from business, environmental and community organisations. We are on track to make recommendations to the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers by early 2020, with the intention that the States’ Assembly can have a well-informed debate on migration control policy in the second quarter of 2020.

“This is an emotive, yet complex issue and it is important we get it right.”

FULL DETAILS: The four permits being explored...